City of Life
by theultimatezb
Summary: It was rare. Nights like these were rare, and blue eyes scanned every inch of Lexa's face, the Commander's body writhing beneath hers, their bodies melding into one. A cool breeze from the open windows and balcony doors sent the tall white curtains flowing in the air and intruded the hot and electrifying affair, sending shivers down Clarke's spine.


_Slightly smutty. Slightly angsty._

* * *

It was rare. Nights like these were rare, and blue eyes scanned every inch of Lexa's face, the Commander's body writhing beneath hers, their bodies melding into one. A cool breeze from the open windows and balcony doors sent the tall white curtains flowing in the air and intruded the hot and electrifying affair, sending shivers down Clarke's spine.

Clarke refused to blink, she wanted to take in the sight in front of her. It was as if Lexa's thick, long locks they had a mind of its own, strategically splayed out onto the sheets making the woman before her look like a goddess even with bits of face paint still smudged on her face.

The brunette smelled like the Earth, like tall green grass covered in rain and her hair the familiar scent of smoke and the day's golden rays. Lexa's body welcomed Clarke like the blonde was finally coming home.

Lexa was heaving, sweaty and squirming against Clarke's hold silently begging for the much needed release Clarke had promised her the last time they were in Polis together. That was almost a month ago and Lexa was ready for Clarke to take her all the way over the edge. Clarke licked her lips and leaned closer until she could feel Lexa's laboured breath against her cheeks, their noses barely touching.

"You're so, so beautiful, Lexa. I love you."

Lexa's eyes flew open at the admission, green eyes cloudy with longing and love and vulnerability.

"Ai hod yu in, Klark." Lexa stuttered out a breath with a particularly hard thrust of Clarke's fingers. "Ai laik yun."

Ai laik yun. I'm yours. Lexa was Clarke's, all hers for the next couple of days before they returned to their respective roles as leaders of different clans. Clarke slowed her movements and moved a few inches away from Lexa's body.

"Can I paint you?"

When there was no immediate response from Lexa, Clarke stopped moving altogether and Lexa opened her eyes, craned her neck and frowned at the woman on top of her. "Beja, Klark. I'm almost there."

"You said you're mine, can I paint you then?"

Lexa's head hit the pillow and grunted. With her legs wide open, her chest bare and her lips swollen with Clarke's kisses, she belonged to Clarke in that moment and she wasn't about to say no. Lexa was on the brink of an orgasm and she needed Clarke's fingers and kisses and touches to get over the edge.

"Yes, you can. In the morning."

Clarke smiled brightly at Lexa and the hearty laugh from the blonde awakened the creatures in Lexa's stomach.

The sweetness in the air morphed back into the familiar heat and gratifying heaviness from earlier and a few more thrusts later had Lexa panting and her entire body jerking against Clarke's, as the room was filled with soft moans and lips against damp skin.

* * *

Lexa was a fierce and formidable leader, the greatest commander of the 12 clans the grounder had ever seen. The Commander was the key and the glue of the coalition. She wielded her sword like a form of art and carried herself with an air of confidence and calmness. She could be still and stoic when needed.

But right now, laying on fur blankets in front of Clarke as the blonde studied her curves, tattoos and scars, Lexa couldn't stay still for even a minute.

"Clarke, are we done?"

Clarke sighed and placed her brush down to rub her temples. "Another 15 more minutes and we can go back to bed."

Lexa nodded and reached for the bowl of grapes on the floor with one hand, revealing tanned skin and bare chest. The burst of sweetness of the small red fruit made Lexa lick her lips and Clarke swallowed at the sight and picked up her brush for the fifth time that day.

The Commander tried her best to be motionless, focusing on the sounds outside, the lively city of Polis during the midday crowd. As the Commander, Lexa had a home at the top of the hill. It was massive and it overlooked the entire city and beyond, it had a breath-taking view of the mountains and the sea. But whenever she had the chance, the rare days when she had spare time, Lexa always returned to live in her old home, the one she had before she became the Commander.

It was a small but extremely cosy two story establishment built in the heart of Polis. She could hear bells ringing and a man's shouting, and she knew where it came from. Which street and which vendor, selling what kind of goods. She could hear music being played and children's laughter, and she knew it must be Calvin on the flute by the fountain where children of the traders spent their time. The Commander's mansion was the Commander's home, but this, this was Lexa's home. And Lexa was glad Clarke was there with her now.

She tried to squash down the imminent dread of parting ways with Clarke in a few days, with Lexa staying behind in Polis and Clarke returning to Camp Jaha. Lexa would be making her diplomatic journey to the clans and it would be another month or so before they see each other again at Camp Jaha, the final stop of Lexa's tour. Something had been on her mind for weeks now, she didn't have the chance to ask Clarke since they were apart and last night had no room for words, just adoration and desire for each other.

"Clarke," Lexa's eyes travelled from the open windows and the clearl blue sky to look at the blonde whose own eyes were darting between the canvas and Lexa's form.

Clarke hummed in response and Lexa popped another grape into her mouth. She chewed and welcomed the sweet juice to sooth the sudden burning sensation in her throat. It was just a suggestion and Lexa knew there was a chance Clarke might say no given their duties and responsibilities to their people. Lexa would understand completely. But it didn't help to stop the sudden nervousness from growing in her abdomen with what she was going to say next.

"When Camp Jaha and your people are all settled, would you wish to live in Polis with me?"

The hair on Lexa's body stood and the usual commotion of Polis was drowned out by the silence between them. Clarke's hand that was holding onto the brush stopped mid-stroke as she tilted her head in Lexa's direction.

"Here, with you?" Clarke gestured around them with the brush still in her hand.

Lexa nodded. "Yes, Clarke. Here, with me. Or at the mansion. Anywhere you want in the city."

Clarke would be lying if she said she'd never thought about living with Lexa in Polis, just the two of them, breakfast in bed and blank canvases ready to be filled with Lexa's face. Going to the market, sitting by the fountain and strolling in the park. It would be difficult to find time, but it could work. They could make it work.

Instead of saying yes, or no, Clarke simply smiled and adjusted the brush in her grip. "If you let me finish this painting, we'll talk."

Lexa's lips formed a warm, beautiful smile at the blonde's response and it made Clarke smile even brighter, eventually emitting a laugh from her lips.

Just as Clarke was ready to continue her work on the canvas again, there was a knock on the door and the voice belonging to one of Lexa's guards could be heard from the other side of the door. Lexa quickly stood up and got dressed in a simple tunic and linen pants before granting Amos permission to enter.

Clarke watched Lexa's relaxed posture and peaceful expression leave her body before becoming the Commander again. Amos stepped into the room with a guilty yet serious look on his face. It must be urgent business since Lexa specifically told her guards and handmaidens not to disturb her time with Clarke.

"Heda," Amos looked between Lexa and Clarke, unsure if the Sky Leader should be privy of such information.

Lexa crossed her arms in annoyance. "Speak freely, Amos."

"You're needed in the council chamber. One of the clans were attacked by the rebels of the coalition last night."

The Commander nodded and told the guard that she'd be there in a minute and Amos quickly slipped out of the room. When he was gone, Lexa sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before moving around the room to get dressed properly.

"Stay here. I'll be back as soon as possible."

Clarke shook her head. "I should go with you. I can help."

Lexa turned and close the space between her and Clarke, her hands coming up and fingers wrapping around the blonde's waist. Her tone was gentle, green eyes much softer than earlier with Amos.

"You should stay here. I will assess the situation with the council and I'll be back soon, I promise. These rebels are weak, my men can handle them and bring them back here to me." She pressed her lips against Clarke's in a tender kiss, staying like that for as long as possible before she remembered where she needed to go. "When I return, we can finish the painting." Lexa leaned in again, Clarke's blue eyes were making it hard to leave. "And we can finally talk."

Clarke couldn't help but smile. "Come home."

"Otaim."

* * *

Clarke wasn't sure how she managed to walk back to the familiar two story house, her eyes were filled with tears and her legs threatened to give out anytime. She held onto the railing like with a death grip, taking one step at a time as if she'd drank one too many cups of moonshine. Her face was incredibly warm as she stood a little too close to the pyre and the smell of smoke was still stuck in her nose. It felt like ages before she finally reached the top of the stairs, exhausted and ready to crumble into pieces soon.

She pushed the door open and tears immediately rolled down her cheeks and fell onto the floor of Lexa's house. Paint brushes and canvases were still laying on the floor, uneaten grapes left rotting in the steel bowl and curtains flying wild on a particularly windy night.

The room smelled like the Earth, like tall green grass covered in rain and the familiar scent of smoke and the day's golden rays. But Lexa wasn't here in the room with her and she wondered if the scent lingered after Lexa's presence or Clarke was imagining it.

The sobbing started once Clarke fell into bed, when it was finally safe to fall apart. She clenched her fists around the sheets and sobbed into a pillow, Lexa's pillow and it felt like she was there next to Clarke, like her fight wasn't over just yet.

Clarke wasn't supposed to watch her body burn into a pile of ash. Lexa was supposed to come home.

She woke up next morning to an eerily silent city of Polis, no hagglers on the streets, no music and no children by the fountain. Clarke woke up to an empty bed and room that still smelled like Lexa and her chest felt incredibly hollow, like someone had stuck their hand in her chest and crushed her heart. She had no more tears left, her throat dry and stinging with pain from the screaming and crying, her neck ached from the way she slept. She dreamt of Lexa like she often did and she closed her eyes, hoping she could fall back into sleep to dream of those green eyes again, but it didn't work after a few minutes of trying.

She moved to sit up on the bed, her head ringing with an epic headache. She moved in a robotic fashion, gathering her belongings and then moving towards the door. With one last look behind her shoulder, Clarke closed the door behind her and walked down the stairs and out onto the streets. It was cold and empty, windows and doors of every shop house and home were shut. The city reflected what she was feeling inside, grey and bare and emotionless, and she knew Polis would be like this for a while as the people mourned the loss of their leader. The sun was hidden behind grey clouds, even the birds stopped singing and the trees stopped swaying.

This city could've been her home, but as her feet carried her further and further way from the gates of Polis, Clarke couldn't bring herself to turn and look back at the city that used to be full of life.

* * *

 _Ai hod yu in – I love you_

 _Ai laik yun – I am yours_

 _Beja – Please_

 _Heda – Commander_

 _Otaim - Always_


End file.
